BooK: The Toll Roads of Buckinghamshire (and into Hertfordshire)

Part 1 of this newly published volume contains a detailed history of turnpikes while Part 2 gives detailed histories of the 24 turnpikes that existed in Buckinghamshire, including sections that ran into other counties. Of particular interest are two which penetrated deep into Hertfordshire - The Sparrows Herne turnpike (from Bushy, via Berkhamsted and Tring, to Aylesbury) and the Reading to Hatfield turnpike which ran through Rickmansworth and St Albans.

REVIEW

I have also updated the subject page on Turnpikes

One of my Hertfordshire Books for Christmas

Formation of the Volunteer Rifle Corps in 1860

Poem on the Volunteer Rifle Corps Meeting at Berkhamsted

 In January 1860 there were  meetings at Ashridge, Hemel Hempstead, Berkhamsted and Tring to form a combined Rifle Corps. For details (and the full poem) click on the poem.

For the historic background see Wikipedia

William Cooper of Berkhamsted and Sheep Dips

This post card sized visiting card, for John Cullwick, sales representative for William Cooper of Berkhamsted, has been added to my page on the company, together with a long press account of a demonstration John gave to the "colonial sheep dip" in Ireland in 1896.

The back of the card has an appropriate picture of a shepherd with a flock of sheep.

Post Cards with Hidden Messages

Over the years I have collected a variety of post cards carrying some kind of hidden or coded message [See HERE for details]

The above card, showing Berkhamsted School, carried the message:

A small portion of the "River Spey" was picked up this morning, close to the "April Flight" & is at present in safe custody. Will transfer it to yours in a day of so. Hope you got home safely. Yours ever J.B.

where "River Spey" and "April Flights" seem to have some hidden meaning.- can anyone suggest what the message may be about. Are the words anagrams - or do they represent something everyone would have known about when the card was posted in 1904

Hertfordshire Military Records on the British Newspaper Archive

The Army & Navy Gazette is currently being loaded onto the British Newspaper Archive and so far they have loaded the years 1860-66 and 1869-71 and I expect more years will soon appear online. I did a quick check and found many such as the following which relates to the formation of the 1st Hertfordshire Battalion.

Army & Navy Gazette, 4th August, 1860

Unfortunately the machine transcription left a lot to be desired - and errors in the above example meant that it would not have been found in searches for the place names Ashridge, Hemel, Hempstead, Tring and Watford or for the surnames Dorrien, Cust, and Pearce. Unfortunately such errors occur in all automatically scanned newspaper archives and you have to use your imagination when searching and try alternative search names.

However the accuracy of the surnames and places in the following item relating to the double marriage of the daughters of the late Mr John Beale, of Cheshunt, was satisfactory.

Army & Navy Gazette, 4th November 1869

A Berkhamsted postcard link between Raphael Tuck and Wrench ????

Over the past year or so I have been taking a close interest in Wrench postcards of Hertfordshire because they are normally of very good quality and can be dated accurately to about 1903/4.

The card on the right was a problem as the title is "Beckhampton Place"  and I was looking for evidence that this was simply a printing error for "Berkhamsted Place".

A few days ago the card on the left came up for sales (I was unfortunately outbid so only reproduce a cleaned up thumb). The image on the left is from the same negative as the Wrench card and is clearly labelled "Berkhampstead Place." The other image is Edgerton House (also in Berkhamsted). This not only identifies the location but strengthened the case for a picture of "Woodcock Lane" actually showing Woodcock Hill, Berkhamsted.

The problem is that the card is labelled Raphael Tuck & Sons, "County" Postcard No 2275 and was posted in 1901. This clearly predates any known Wrench view postcard of Hertfordshire. It seems a little unlikely that a firm as successful as Raphael Tuck would have allowed the upstart Wrench to use the same negative - so was there some industrial espionage - or did a Berkhamsted photographer take the picture and sell it to both the rival companies?

If you know of any other early Raphael Tuck or Wrench cards which might have been duplicated in this way please let me know.

Follow the Canal from Cow Roast to Berkhamsted in old (& new) photographs

The Canal and Raiway Station, Berkhamsted, photographed 1903

Dudswell Bottom Lock

I have updated the relevant page on the web site to include a number of 100+ year old pictures of the canal, together with pictures of the historic locks and bridges taken in the 21st century.

See all pictures

I have taken a lot of pictures of the canal in recent years, and will be making more available, with historic images where available, over the coming months.

Tring at War: Latest News 26th December, 1914

A quiet week, as the excitement (and adverts) anticipating Christmas of previous issues are no more. The biggest event was the funeral of Dr. James Brown which was described in detail, including the names of people attending. The report on the effects of the troops on the town are briefly reviewed and mentions that the Constitutional Club had thrown is doors open to the troop, many of whom also attended the cinema, which had been showing a film called "The Black Chancellor." Locals would have been glad to here that the while the soldiers could not be served after 8.30pm the locals could still get a drink up to 10pm. Three other papers had items of local interest. A number of the soldiers billeted in the area were miners from Northumberland and Capt. D. Graham Pole wrote a letter in the Newcastle Journal saying the men were  in urgent want of mufflers, shirts, socks, pants, gloves, etc.  The Chelmsford Chronicle reported that the Rev T. A. Adkins is to be Roman Catholic Chaplain to the Forces based in the Tring area. The Bedfordshire Times reported that the Rev. G. W. Field was coming to the curacy of Aldbury, while Rev. G. W. Russell is to be curate at Berkhamsted and Rev. N. Miller is to be a master at Berkhamsted school.

Extracted from the Bucks Herald, 26th December, 1914

See the Latest Old Tring News

Other Tring "Old News .  

The Holliday Family Links with Augustus Smith and the Scilly Islands

Help Desk

Berkhamsted

OK - A couple of months ago I posted under the heading "It looks obvious - but don't jump to conclusions" and I got it wrong. It seems possible that young James Holliday (1787-1879) stated to work for James Smith (1768-1843) shortly after James Smith moved to Ashlyn's Hall, Berkhamsted, in 1801. By 1841 James Holliday was James Smith's farm bailiff. Two of James Holliday's sons worked for the Smith family - at some time working in the Scilly Isles, which was "ruled" by Augustus Smith, of Ashlyn's Hall and Tresco. My initial mistake was a failure to find Charles Holliday in the 1841 census as he was listed as a domestic servant in London - but was probably there because he was a personal man-servant to James Smith, who was also staying at the same address.

More Information on the Holliday Familya

An Inns of Court Photograph by Newman of Berkhamsted

Help Desk

Jane sent this photograph which contains her grandfather, Charles William Bowell, because she knew very little about his involvement in the First World War.

Military

The picture was taken by James T Newman of Berkhamsted. The cap badges are of the Inns of Court Regiment, which during the War were an officer training corps based at Berkhamsted. It would appear from what Jane said that Charles failed to get his commission.

More Information.

It looks obvious - but don't jump to conclusions

Help Desk

Berkhamsted

In 2001 I answered a question about the Holliday family of Berkhamstes. Now Diana has drawn my attention to the fact that in 1861 William Holliday (46, born Berkhamsted) and Charles Holliday (37, born Berkhamsted) were both living on the tiny island of Tresco, in the Scilly Islands, off the tip of Cornwall. Charles worked as a house servant for Augustus Smith, of Ashlyn's Hall, Berkhamsted, and self-styled Lord Proprietor of the Isles of Scilly.. William was a farm bailiff, presumably also working for Augustus Smith. 

Surely William and Charles must be brothers - Well No.

Well at least First Cousins - No again

I didn't follow this back further but they can't be better than 2nd cousins .... [Details]

And if this is not warning enough about jumping to conclusions read

 Right Name, Wrong Body

BUT SEE LATER POST

The Holliday Family Links with Augustus Smith and the Scilly Islands

Anti-Aircraft Guns in Hemel area in 1918

Some of Harry Chandler's memories of Hemel Hempstead during the First World War have been posted on Facebook. He mention the searchlight and anti-aircraft gun east of Randall Park. These installations are described in The London Gunner comes to Town as follows:

In the autumn [of 1917] the plans for the air defences of London included a ring of anti­-aircraft guns and searchlights which were stronger to the north and east of the city. Several smaller units were based in the Hemel Hempstead area and the Management and Estates Committee asked Waiter Locke to negotiate with the military authorities about the proposed searchlight station in Randall Park. This was the westernmost of a series of 3" 20cwt gun stations and searchlight posts which stretched across Hertfordshire. The western approaches to London were defended by searchlight stations armed with 18 pounder guns (a modified version of those being used by the Royal Field Artillery in France). These formed a line starting at Gadebridge. and running south through Boxmoor. Bovingdon and Flaunden. It seems very likely that these guns were never used in anger, as no later German it attacks, either by Zeppelin or aeroplane, came so far west.

"A County at War, Hertfordshire" premiered at the Rex at Berkhamsted

The OVOcalists lead a First World War Singsong 

The Lord Lieutenant of Hertfordshire,  the Countess of Verulam, commissioned a DVD "A County at War, Hertfordshire" and yesterday it had its premier showing at the Rex Cinema, Berkhamsted.

As no First World War cinemas are still operating in Hertfordshire the Rex was a most suitable venue.  It has a wonderfully preserved Art Deco auditorium which opened in 1938 and closed in 1988. However it was saved from demolition and now run a regular program of old classics, modern releases and special events. My wife and I sat down at a table with drinks and canapes and the program opened with First World war songs by the OVOcalists from St Albans.

Lady Verulam briefly came on stage and introduced the DVD and the show was underway. The result was a well edited series of scenes, some from old postcards, some from surviving film, some press reports and some useful animation. Everything was kept moving along with a good commentary. The Director, Howard Guard has clearly done a very good job. (A review of the DVD will be appearing on this site later).

The evening ended, appropriately, with the playing of the Last Post.

The DVD and the accompanying leaflet contains an extensive list of those who helped make it possible and I was very flattered to find at the top of the list of those who had made material available the following words:

The Director wishes to thank Christopher Reynolds of Herts Genealogy, whose book and collection of photographs in The London Gunner came to Town was invaluable in the making of this film.

Some Distinctive Harpenden Views circa 1910.

The High Street, Harpenden

Harpenden

Last month I posted some pictures of Berkhamsted, including some with a very distinctive frame with four leaf clovers. I already knew that there was at least one similar card from Harpenden, and have now tracked down four more of that town. They are all the same - very high class colour printing, glazed, and embossed. The combination of embossing and glazing was clearly a mistake as in every case the glaze has cracked and I have not yet found a card where the brown frame has not come away in places - and has been digitally repaired! It could well be that only two sets were produced, in 1910 or 1911, for Berkhamsted and Harpenden, but the design was dropped because they proved to be easily damaged when displayed in the shops.

Berkhamsted

I have also established that there were other "LN" cards - including the Northamptonshire Implement Gate in the "Castle Series of View Cards" series - all pointing to a Northamptonshire publisher - bit have not yet got a name and address.

If the cards were produced in sets of six I am looking for card number 516 of Harpenden and cards number 522 and 524 of Berkhamsted. If you know the subject of these cars, or even better can supply a digital image, please let me know.

Click here to see the cards in the series I already have.

The Inns and Beerhouses of Berkhamsted in 1854

I have just posted a

  List of the Inns and Beerhouses of Berkhamsted

as they were in 1854 as described in Craven's Directory of that year.

Brewing

Berkhamsted pages upgrades - 9 New post card views

High Street, Berkhamsted (by Hartmann)

Berkhamsted

The Berkhamsted pages have been "under construction" for some time, and there is a large backlog of views to be added. As a result I have upgraded the Berkhamsted Home Page - with better links to subject pages - which will make it easier to add further cards. I have already added four new/improved views from postcards by the published Hartmann and 4 by "LN" in the "Castle Series." In addition I have added another view of Berkhamsted Place.

High Street, Berkhamsted - from the Castle Series

As can be seen by the above example the "Castle Series" cards are very distinctive and the firm that produced them "LN" has not yet been properly identified, but may have been based in Northamptonshire. Let me know if you know of other cards with this distinctive border.

Graham Greene - His Birthplace at Berkhamsted School

St John's House, Berkhamsted School

Schools

Graham Greene, (1904-1991), the writer, playwright and literary critic, was born in this house at Berkhamsted school. At the time his father was a teacher at the school, but later became headmaster. When Graham became thirteen he returned to St John's house as a boarder, living in a part of the building he had not known as a child.  He describes the horrors of the area reserved for the pupils in his biography A Sort of Life. 

Read On ...

Victorian Photographers in Hertfordshire

Victorian Photographers

I have introduced a new menu, for Victorian Photographers, starting with those where I have carte de visite examples of their work. All the following photographer pages are either completely new, or include new examples of their work:

Barnard, St Albans

Coles, Watford

Dighton of St Albans

Downer of Watford

Dunn of Hemel Hempstead

Elsden, Hertford

Forscutt, Hertford

Garrood of Hertford

Goodfellow of Ware

Hockett of New Barnet

Lane of Hemel Hempstead

Martindale, Watford

Maxwell, Hadley Green & Barnet

Norman of Tring

Roberts, St Albans & High Wycombe

Sills of Berkhamsted

All the new images provide an enlarged portrait and it planned to add examples of cabinet cards in many cases. If you can provide examples of other Victorian Hertfordshire photographers, or datable images for those already online, I would love to here from you.

No 11 Platoon, The Inns of Court, Berkhamsted, in 1916

The Inns of Court - No 11 Platoon - in Berkhamsted in 1916

Military

Inns of Court

As part of my contribution to remembering those who gave their lives in the First World War I have added another picture of the Inns of Court at Berkhamsted, taken by J. T. Newman. It was sent to a Mr & Mrs Bond, Bute Court, Torquay, Devon on 15th April, 1916 and reads:

This is the famous no. 11 Platoon with which I have drilled, grubbed, marched and slept for the last four months. Yesterday I heard that I had been put in a senior section and platoon - No 1 Sec. & No. 9 Plt. so on Monday I shall be with a fresh set of fellows providing I don't receive the blue form back by tomorrow.  If I don't receive it by Tuesday I shall be delayed at least a month from obtaining my commission so please return it as soon as poss. woud you?

Best Love    J.

I have not been able to identify the writer, but if your ancestor was stationed at Berkhamsted at about this date you might be able to recognise them if you look at the larger image.

The Herts Imperial Yeomanry at Berkhamsted in 1906

Military Training Camp, Berkhamsted, May 1906

Berkhamsted

Military

The above card, and its partner, show the Herts Imperial Yeomanry Training Camp, which was held at Berkhamsted in May 1906, and many on the men shown would undoubtedly been fighting in the First World War a few years later. However card had some other interesting features relevant to this site. Both were taking by Frederick Downer, a pioneering Watford photographer - and I have opened up a new page to bring together his military photographs.

Watford

In addition the cards carried hidden messages in mirror writing, so that they could not be so easily read in transit, and prove to be affectionate letters from Jessie Louisa Smith, and her husband to be Thomas Lance Simmons, a Watford hairdresser.